Counties to Congress: Reauthorize the Secure Rural Schools (SRS) program and fully fund Payments in Lieu of Taxes (PILT)
-
BlogUrge your members of Congress to support SRS for FY 2016 and PILT for FY 2017 As Congress works to finalize the FY 2017 appropriations process, they now have an opportunity to keep their commitment to counties by fully funding PILT and reauthorizing the SRS program.Counties to Congress: Reauthorize the Secure Rural Schools (SRS) program and fully fund Payments in Lieu of Taxes (PILT)April 11, 2017April 11, 2017, 5:00 pm
-
Blog
Counties to Congress: Reauthorize the Secure Rural Schools (SRS) program and fully fund Payments in Lieu of Taxes (PILT)
Urge your members of Congress to support SRS for FY 2016 and PILT for FY 2017
As Congress works to finalize the FY 2017 appropriations process, they now have an opportunity to keep their commitment to counties by fully funding PILT and reauthorizing the SRS program.
The Payments in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) program provides payments to local governments in 49 states—nearly 1,900 counties, boroughs and parishes—to offset reduced property tax revenue due to the presence of tax-exempt federal lands within their jurisdictions. Without the certainty of full funding for the PILT program, counties across the nation will be unable to provide essential services such as education, law enforcement, search and rescue, road maintenance and public health to our residents and millions of federal lands visitors.
Secure Rural Schools (SRS) payments support public schools, public roads, forest health projects, essential search and rescue and emergency services, and many other county programs. These funds help provide stability for forest counties and school districts affected by reduced revenue due to federal policies that have dramatically curtailed federal timber receipts. For over 100 years, the federal government has shared 25 percent of federal forest revenues with counties to compensate them for federal ownership of forest lands that cannot be taxed at the local level, but these revenue-sharing payments are no longer sufficient to cover the services we must provide. Unless SRS is quickly reauthorized, forest counties across the country will face severe budgetary shortfalls that could impact counties' ability to provide services to our residents.
With many lawmakers currently in their home districts for a two-week recess before returning to complete the FY 2017 appropriations process, now is the time to urge them to support PILT and SRS. To assist your efforts, NACo has developed comprehensive advocacy resources, which you can find below. NACo will continue to engage with Congress and the Trump Administration to stress the importance of these programs and ensure counties have the financial certainty and stability we need to properly serve our residents.
Take Action
- Click here for a sample letter telling your members of Congress how inaction will impact residents
- Click here for a sample op-ed and click here for a sample press release to customize and send to your state and local media
- Click here for sample tweets
Resources
Click here for county-specific PILT profiles.
Click here for county-specific SRS profiles.
Click here for NACo’s PILT advocacy toolkit.
Click here for NACo’s SRS policy brief.
- January 23 letter to President Trump outlining public lands priorities, including PILT/ SRS
- January 23 letter to Congress outlining public lands priorities, including PILT/SRS
- PILT Dear Colleague letter to House Appropriations Committee
- PILT Dear Colleague letter to Senate Appropriations Committee
- House PILT Dear Colleague letter to White House OMB
- NACo Action Center on the PILT Program
Media Coverage
- NACo Press Release (March 10): Forest counties brace for cuts as congressional inaction reduces payments
- NACo blog (April 3): Three bipartisan letters in support of PILT sent to appropriations leaders and White House OMB
- USA Today (Jan. 26): Forest-rich western states push to renew funding
- Statesman Journal (Jan. 26): Forest Service funds face 90 percent cut in Oregon
- Hood River News (Jan. 31): Oregon faces major timber fund cut
- The Oregonian (Feb. 17): Guest county columnists: Rural counties need a longterm solution as federal program expires
- Wallowa County Chieftan (April 4): County loses chunk of federal funding
- The Salem News online (March 21): County collects what may be its last Secure Rural Schools payment
- Reno Gazette Journal (April 5): Trump’s proposed public land cuts would hit rural Nevada hardest
Urge your members of Congress to support SRS for FY 2016 and PILT for FY 20172017-04-11Blog2017-05-01
Urge your members of Congress to support SRS for FY 2016 and PILT for FY 2017
As Congress works to finalize the FY 2017 appropriations process, they now have an opportunity to keep their commitment to counties by fully funding PILT and reauthorizing the SRS program.
The Payments in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) program provides payments to local governments in 49 states—nearly 1,900 counties, boroughs and parishes—to offset reduced property tax revenue due to the presence of tax-exempt federal lands within their jurisdictions. Without the certainty of full funding for the PILT program, counties across the nation will be unable to provide essential services such as education, law enforcement, search and rescue, road maintenance and public health to our residents and millions of federal lands visitors.
Secure Rural Schools (SRS) payments support public schools, public roads, forest health projects, essential search and rescue and emergency services, and many other county programs. These funds help provide stability for forest counties and school districts affected by reduced revenue due to federal policies that have dramatically curtailed federal timber receipts. For over 100 years, the federal government has shared 25 percent of federal forest revenues with counties to compensate them for federal ownership of forest lands that cannot be taxed at the local level, but these revenue-sharing payments are no longer sufficient to cover the services we must provide. Unless SRS is quickly reauthorized, forest counties across the country will face severe budgetary shortfalls that could impact counties' ability to provide services to our residents.
With many lawmakers currently in their home districts for a two-week recess before returning to complete the FY 2017 appropriations process, now is the time to urge them to support PILT and SRS. To assist your efforts, NACo has developed comprehensive advocacy resources, which you can find below. NACo will continue to engage with Congress and the Trump Administration to stress the importance of these programs and ensure counties have the financial certainty and stability we need to properly serve our residents.
Take Action
- Click here for a sample letter telling your members of Congress how inaction will impact residents
- Click here for a sample op-ed and click here for a sample press release to customize and send to your state and local media
- Click here for sample tweets
Resources

Click here for county-specific PILT profiles.

Click here for county-specific SRS profiles.

Click here for NACo’s PILT advocacy toolkit.

Click here for NACo’s SRS policy brief.
- January 23 letter to President Trump outlining public lands priorities, including PILT/ SRS
- January 23 letter to Congress outlining public lands priorities, including PILT/SRS
- PILT Dear Colleague letter to House Appropriations Committee
- PILT Dear Colleague letter to Senate Appropriations Committee
- House PILT Dear Colleague letter to White House OMB
- NACo Action Center on the PILT Program
Media Coverage
- NACo Press Release (March 10): Forest counties brace for cuts as congressional inaction reduces payments
- NACo blog (April 3): Three bipartisan letters in support of PILT sent to appropriations leaders and White House OMB
- USA Today (Jan. 26): Forest-rich western states push to renew funding
- Statesman Journal (Jan. 26): Forest Service funds face 90 percent cut in Oregon
- Hood River News (Jan. 31): Oregon faces major timber fund cut
- The Oregonian (Feb. 17): Guest county columnists: Rural counties need a longterm solution as federal program expires
- Wallowa County Chieftan (April 4): County loses chunk of federal funding
- The Salem News online (March 21): County collects what may be its last Secure Rural Schools payment
- Reno Gazette Journal (April 5): Trump’s proposed public land cuts would hit rural Nevada hardest
-
Blog
The County Countdown – September 26, 2023
Every other week, NACo’s County Countdown reviews top federal policy advocacy items with an eye towards counties and the intergovernmental partnership. Watch the video and explore NACo resources below on some of the top issues we're covering this week. -
County News
Public lands champions visit Capitol Hill
County officials from across the country traveled to Washington, D.C. to advocate for federal public land policies, sharing stories with members of Congress of how the Payment in Lieu of Taxes and Secure Rural Schools programs help counties fund essential services, including search and rescue operations, infrastructure and education. -
Blog
NACo testifies on county role in combatting wildfires and forest management at U.S. House Natural Resources Committee hearing
On Friday, August 11, the U.S. House Natural Resources Committee held an oversight hearing titled “Conservation in a Crown Jewel: A Discussion About Wildfire and Forest Management.” -
Blog
USFS announces $250 million for wildfire risk reduction efforts
On July 31, the U.S. Forest Service announced that it is accepting applications for the Community Wildfire Defense Grant program. USFS will award up to $250 million in total funding to eligible applicants, including counties, for projects aimed at reducing wildfire risks and safeguarding vulnerable communities. -
Webinar
Exploring Outdoor Recreation as a Component of Economic Diversification
Jul. 27, 2023 , 3:00 pm – 4:00 pmJoin the BRECC National Network for a conversation on outdoor recreation as a viable component to build a robust, diverse local economy. Learn more about research trends linked to outdoor recreation economic development, small business ecosystems and resources that could support coal communities. -
County News
Permitting fee funds land acquisition for conservation
Travis County, Texas is on year 27 of a 30-year conservation plan for Balcones Canyonland, a 50-mile square urban preserve.
-
Basic page
Public Lands Steering Committee
All matters relating to federally-owned public lands including federal land management programs, natural resource revenue sharing payments, payments in lieu of taxes, and property tax immunity concerns.pagepagepage<p>All matters relating to federally-owned public lands including federal land management programs, natural resource revenue sharing payments, payments in lieu of taxes, and property tax immunity concerns.
Related Posts
-
BlogThe County Countdown – September 26, 2023Sep. 25, 2023
-
County NewsPublic lands champions visit Capitol HillSep. 20, 2023
-
BlogNACo testifies on county role in combatting wildfires and forest management at U.S. House Natural Resources Committee hearingAug. 16, 2023
Related Resources
-
VideoCounties testify on our role in evolving federal land management challengesMar. 8, 2023
-
VideoCounties testify on public lands management and the 2023 Farm BillMar. 8, 2023
-
Reports & ToolkitsLegislative Analysis for Counties: The Inflation Reduction ActFeb. 22, 2023
More From
-
Treasury releases Local Assistance and Tribal Consistency Fund payments to eligible counties
The U.S. Department of the Treasury announced the release of Local Assistance and Tribal Consistency Fund (LATCF) payments to counties.
Learn More